Category Archives: Fried

Gentle Readers, there is nothing better than eating the food of the natives on home turf. In the words of TPCs Jr, why go somewhere to eat someplace you can find anywhere? We were in full research mode this past weekend, on my first post-Katrina trip to New Orleans. I found a city greatly changed but not broken.

Cafe au lait and beignets from Cafe Du Monde: iconic for a reason.

And food culture marches on there. Having spent so much time in NYC and on the West Coast recently, it was refreshing to eat for less than a mortgage. I quickly renewed my relationship with cafe au lait, and may not recover from the discovery that there are Cafe Du Monde locations with drive-thrus.

I discovered that muffulettas make a great breakfast! The whole from Central Grocery.

Without further adieu, here are my top 5 reasons to eat in New Orleans:

1. Not everything will kill you. For me, life in the land of shellfish is a bit of a culinary minefield. Other people may fear the Fried. It’s not all made of butter here. Yes, there is large and deadly (looking at you crayfish) food to be found, but there is also sharing a muffuletta from Central Grocery or a plate of beignets at Cafe Du Monde, or gumbo and even tofu.

It is possible to eat healthy here: breakfast burrito with black beans and spinach from Canal Street Bistro.

2. Beignets and Cafe Au Lait. It’s a classic, and that’s justified. I feel like there must be kickbacks in the confectioner’s sugar market, but if you can move past that excess, the concept of doughnuts and coffee is made of win. They come in orders of 3, just take it easy. They’ll make more.

There is so much natural beauty in Louisiana–try a swamp tour if you’ve never gone!

3. Po-Boys. I had a couple of amazing catfish po-boys, and a very respectable roast beef one as well from a little dive called Russell’s Short Stop Po-Boys. This is working class food, and it speaks to my own cooking home base. To be fair, there was nary a vegetable in the place, unless you count the two pieces of lettuce on the sandwich, but it was filling and good.

The roast beef po-boy from Russell’s Short Stop.

Catfish po-boy!

4. Innovation in the field of breakfast. Some of the most outstanding food I had was breakfast. I’ve eaten a lot of grits in my time, but the Geaux Grits I had at the Canal Street Bistro were noteworthy. Great atmosphere, generous portions, healthy options, biscuit on the side, what’s not to love. This was ordered by the Youngest Practical Cook, who is a big carb fan. She plowed through this like it was her job. Topped with cheese, bacon, and eggs, I say yes.

Geaux Grits! Yes, that’s bacon.

5. Desserts. Perhaps I compensated for the fact that many of the protein options are genetically designed to kill me (shellfish, shellfish everywhere), but getting my calories from dessert. From king cake to a delightful white cake with chocolate frosting, to a peanut butter pie from Russell’s Short Stop that I’m still dreaming about, dessert options were plentiful. We didn’t make it for a traditional snoball, but that’s for next time. We opted instead for the noveau gelato, perfect ending to a hot day.

Leftover wedding cakes FTW!

Peanut Butter Pie and I shut my mouth.

In conclusion, there are endless places to try and infinite choices. There are options from healthy to not so much, but the fusion tradition marches on. Need to heat things up? There’s a hot sauce for every palate. This trip made me want to go back and eat more, always a good sign. New Orleans has changed, and it is still recovering, but there are a lot of bright spots on the horizon.

Home of Tabasco, hot sauce is a New Orleans staple. Try this at your own risk.

Gentle Readers, into every life, some giant turkey legs must fall. However, there is no delicate way to consume them. When in doubt, do not eat them on video. Just a word of professional advice.

Turkey leg fingers and no napkins. That was a strategic fail on my part.

I learned this the hard way this past weekend when I did my first ever joint blog review with VeggieMacabre! Great fun was had at the inaugural Winston Salem Food Truck Rodeo, much Fried was consumed, the majority of it by me. Check out his blog post for a full review and extended video.

Try eating this turkey leg and not looking like a caveman. I wish you luck. But do eat it, because it is made of magic and unicorns.

Here’s my short-take, shot Blair Witch style and slightly beheading us both in honor of VM’s other interest, horror films. Or because my arms are too short to have two people on video and I forgot my tabletop tripod, one of the two.

Enough chatter, I am practical after all: 5 TPC tips for surviving and thriving in a food truck rodeo environment!

1. Go early. He who laughed at my “buy everything I could as fast as possible” strategy became incredibly grateful for the 4 cupcakes I had 3 hours later. Especially the pecan pie one with the praline center. Wow. In fact, strangers asked for bites of the other cupcakes, and I obliged. Community first. They were from Cakes in a Cup, and they were truly awe-inspiring.

Hello my pretties. I think I love you. Cupcakes from Cakes in a Cup out of Concord, NC

2. Stagger attendance. Think of Disney people. Provide gated times and tickets, and give the food trucks a fighting chance. Food trucks can’t handle the rush. I’ve never seen this end well. Organizers need to expect and plan for this to offset the crush.

Bacon Cheeseburger. Just because. From the WS Food Truck Rodeo.

3. When in doubt, order turkey livers. Okay, I just made that rule up, but these little crunchy morsels from Hickory Tree Barbecue were divine. I ate them cold when things got dire later in the day. The larger point, don’t be boring. You can eat boring food another time. Live a little.

Deep-Fried Turkey Livers from the WS Food Truck Rodeo. Win!

4. Work as a team. This is not to be taken lightly. Two people held down seats at the bar (Old Winston Social Club, a sponsor and a fantastic place–try it and thank me later), while the third stood in line. My fave description from VeggieMacabre’s blog:

There was a great chance that one could actually learn Korean before reaching the Korean BBQ truck.

Ironically, while eating Korean food with a friend at lunch today, he shared this unbelievably helpful infographic. Use your in-line time wisely and you can order in the native tongue when you arrive at the window. You’re welcome.

5. Always have a Plan B. In the end, parking the trucks amongst many great bars and restaurants is a good idea. It drives a lot of business to everyone, and you can at least get something to eat or drink (as opposed to when this happens in a field in the middle of nowhere–that is a recipe for a riot).

Technically, these were a gift. A dozen assorted Krispy Kremes acquired in the single longest and most hilarious drive-through ordering experience of my life.

1 original glazed, Hot Now, from Krispy Kreme: Okay, not at the rodeo, but it’s unnatural to go to the home of the Double K and not eat one

some carrots: for my health

some banana pudding: because I’m Southern and it was there, duh

In summary: I don’t really like food truck rodeos for eating at food trucks, but for the spectacle and for the company. No regrets in that regard. Thanks to VeggieMacabre and the whole crew for making WS awesome.

I think that’s the VeggieMacabre gang sign, or he’s trying to signal for help because he hates liver.

Have you been to a food truck rodeo? What did/didn’t you like about it? Weigh in (pun intended) in the comments section below!

Gentle Readers, this post is coming to you from the San Jose airport, and thus will be brief. Apparently, California is already experiencing a bacon shortage. This broad statement is derived from a small data set. Twice, yes twice, I went to breakfast establishments that didn’t carry “real” bacon. Shocking!

Smiling does not improve turkey bacon’s taste. Just saying.

Mind you, I was too busy stuffing my face full of coffeecake on both occasions to audibly complain. But it raised an important question. Is turkey bacon real bacon?

For our taste test purposes, we decided it was not worth the caloric spend. I found it to be more like facon than bacon. It was crisp and salty, but why not just eat a bit less bacon? I’ve never understood substituting as a reason to consume more of something less tasty.

Mmmm coffeecake from Hobee’s.

Not that I am biased. Perhaps we will do bacon brackets with alternative bacons this March. Stay tuned.

Like this:

Gentle Readers, this past week marked a first that caused a bit of a firestorm. As part of a series of holiday meet and greets, The Practical Cooks Junior and I met with some old friends at the most convenient and recognizable of spots off the highway, McDonald’s. What’s remarkable about that? TPC’s Jr have never been to one.

First McDonald’s Fries: Response, Whatevs.

I’m waiting for you to wake up from a dead faint. Are you back with us? Great. We had sundaes at an in-museum McD’s this past summer on our trip to Washington, D.C., and we’ve stopped at a Wendy’s here and there. But never at the freestanding Golden Arches. TPC’s Jr have never consumed a Happy Meal, and they just tried the famous fries for the first time.

More Tweeting Than Eating

Survey says: my sweet potato fries are better. Not going to McDonald’s was not some extremist stance I attempted, nor do I have a burning desire for a McRib or a McNugget. I like my Fried full on and pure, no halfway for me, so our junk food has looked more like this.

Fried okra from the State Farmers Market food cart. It is a family favorite.

When they became vegetarians, there was even less reason to go to fast food places. But it happened, and they were not blown away in any direction. It was just a place. I will openly admit that while I have no judgment about a Big Mac craving or the love of fries, fast food joints are not my first choice for dining. We are spoiled in knowing more than one chef on a first-name basis, and a load of talented home cooks, and we can cook most things to our taste at home. With so much food and food knowledge around us, we barely have time to eat all the things we want to try.

My idea of a McRib (from the kitchen of G2B Gastropub)

I’m incredibly proud to be raising kids who are brave enough to try new things (including the homemade pepper jelly and wine jelly we were handed at the McD’s), who are also confident enough to like what they like. The Youngest would live on bread and fruit if permitted, with a side of spinach. The Eldest has a deep love of chocolate-covered cherries, all legumes, and eggs. They both stand their ground when adults they respect challenge them about their vegetarian beliefs.

So the trip to McDonald’s passed like any other new experience, they chewed their fries thoughtfully and went right on with their lives, blissfully unaware of a milestone or any parenting fail on my part. What is your stance on fast food for you or your kids? Are you a fan, foe, or something in between?

Sweet Potato Fries Sprinkled with Garam Masala, Side of Spicy Mayo

Post a comment below, or Tweet at me with #fastfood as the tag. I look forward to hearing from you.

Gentle readers, if one wants to start a fight, threaten the national bird of Thanksgiving. There are few holidays that cause more passionate feelings around the table than this yearly feast. New-fangled ideas are generally not welcome. Such was the hue and cry around my declaration that the unconventional Practical Cooks Junior would not be having turkey this year.

Happy Thanksgiving! Turkey Cookie Craft Completed.

They are both now declared vegetarians, and they plan to thank turkeys by keeping them alive. Truthfully, and lean in close here, I have always preferred the side dishes at Thanksgiving over the turkey. In the debate of turkey vs. sides, we pit a typically dry, flavorless bird against an infinite variety of starch and veg. How is that a fair fight?

For my good friend Dr. Tweeter, why not serve a virtual bird, hmm? Augment the reality of that turkey. We will have pictures of turkeys, and there will be a chicken casserole for those who wish to partake. Meanwhile, I have been given license to go wild on the side dishes. Thanks, I think I will.

Desserts will hopefully include a pumpkin pie, cherry pie, and spice cake of some stripe. I would add brownies to the mix, but then I would just find a reason to be overly thankful for them.

Turbaconducken FTW!

In all fairness, and with my extensive knowledge of Fried, I have never had deep-fried turkey. I’m sure I would like it. Or bacon-wrapped turkey (as shown here). Until such moment that one of these arrives at my doorstep, it’s turkey-free Thanksgiving for the extended Team Practical Cook.

Where do you stand in the turkey vs sides debate? What’s your favorite Thanksgiving side dish?

Gentle Readers, though The Practical Cook no longer wears the crown or sash of Deep Fried Ambassador, her commitment to Fried remains strong as always. This past weekend, Team Practical Cook headed to the fair to try, well, almost one of everything.

Deep Fried Mini Cinnamon Rolls with Bacon Sprinkles

This year’s sensation is the Deep-Fried Mini Cinnamon Roll with Bacon Sprinkles. Hot, sticky, and bacony. Wow, just wow. It was disturbingly delicious. We scraped off the bits for the Eldest so she could remain true to her vegetarian ways.

How was it? Roll the tape:

We also tried the Deep-Fried Girl Scout Cookies (aka, Caramel Delites) and were less wowed by them. Beautiful, but empty.

Deep Fried Girl Scout Cookies: Caramel Delites (aka Samoas)

The single most requested item: fried okra from the State Farmers Market food stand. It was the bomb, as always. That was lunch. Followed by corn and an apple dumpling. I actually lost count of the desserts.

Fried okra from the State Farmers Market food cart. It is a family favorite.

So if you are heading to the fair this year, do not go halfway. Upon hearing that certain individuals weren’t planning to eat anything fried, the Eldest offered a mildly Elvis-like sneer and said, “why bother going?” And that is how I know I’m raising my children properly.

If you don’t eat fried, why bother going to the fair? — The Eldest

If you haven’t been to the fair in a while, consider going on a weekday, or early. It’s not as crowded, and it is a lot of fun. Don’t miss the endless samples in the made in NC tent and the Kerr Scott building. Also, we love the oversized vegetables and creative art made from them.

Say pumpkin pie!

This is our fall family tradition. We go, we eat an obnoxious amount of Fried, and we break every rule of common sense. Then we go home and have a nice salad. Have you been to the fair this year? What fried goodness did you try?

Gentle Readers, sometimes, bacon is more than the flavoring, more than a garnish, more than a bit. Sometimes, bacon is the guest of honor. Recently, in my professional life, I had cause to order 100 pieces of bacon. Just bacon. It was for a Tweetup called #vBacon, and I was not kidding. To the extreme credit and creativity of the staff at Cable Car City Pub, they brought this out.

Behold the Tower of Bacon!

That’s right, it’s a tower of bacon. Essentially a deconstructed BLT, lettuce and tomato served as garnish. It was bacon shock and awe. There were pictures taken, poses with, bacon inception even.

Bacon Inception: Photo credit @revolize

I’m well-documented as being a bacon fan, and this bacon was tasty. Lesson here, sometimes, when you have an event, less is more. Beer and bacon, yes, that is enough. They tried to push me into fancier appetizers, but I kept saying, just bacon please. The result was 150 happy technologists.